Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-08
SKIRTS nv INCHES.
A Little rnefdens Of she Dsscordans
"Chimcs or Hsrmasay- a.
Newark.


New York HerAld.l
The discordant strains which the
"Cbimes of Normandy" have sent
through Nevark's exclusive circles
have not died ont, and probably will
not for some time. The account of
the difficulties between Mrs. II. Z.
Kinney and Mrs. Edward Balbach, Jr.,
MS published in the Herald yesterday,
created sensation, and by 10 o'clocka
Herald could not be purchased at the
leading news stands. The advertising
which the rumpus has given the opera
has caused great demand for tickets,
and IS seat is being freely offered.
The entertainment will take place at
Miners Theatre on Wednesday next,
and even seats in the gallery, which
were at first reserved for servants,
have been sold to fashionable people.
THE LENGTH or THEIR sKIArs.
The dispute between Mrs. Kinney
end Mrs. Balbach is not the first that
the company Of amateurs has had. The
question of dress has just been settled
after an open rebellion among the
young ladies in the chorus. When the
opera of the "Cbimes of Normandy"
was finally selected the young ladies
were delighted Mt the prospect of wear
ing the beautiful dress of the Normandy
peasants until one rosy-cheeked young
miss with a petite figure asked:
"How short can we wear our skirts ?"
Directly there was hubbub and
everybody wanted to DO heard. After
discussing the question with much ardor
for half an hour it was unanimously
decided that the bottom of every skirt
should be thirteen inches from the
ground.
Thirteen inches and no more.
"Gracious exclaimed married
lady who presides over an elegant resi-
dence not thousand miles from Wash
ineton Park, "if you don't make the
skirts shorter than that there will be no
audience"
PARTIAL GIFTS TO BEAUTY.
The remark of the lady set good
many pretty little heads TO thinking
anatomy had not distributed its favors
with the same lavish hand to all. How
ever, the Young ladies who favored thir-
teen inches carried the day, and the
dresses were ordered.
Several days later Mrs. Kinney
thought that the skirts ought to be only
eleven inches from the ground. She
will not appear in the cast herself, but
it is possible that she was influenced by
some of the dissatisfied ones in the
chorus. Another meeting was called
and the eleven-inches regulation was
adopted by narrow majority. This
caused the row.
Another meeting was held by the
young ladies of the chorus without the
knowledge of the patronesSes, and it
was decided to order the dresses to be
made thirteen inches from the floor
All agreed to this with the exception of
one young lady, who, for reasons best
known to herself, will appear i'll skirts
eleven inches from the stage.
MRS. BALBACH's FRIENDS.
Mrs. Balbach's friends are rallying to
her rescue, and lady living in High
street yesterday wrote her letter of
sympathy.
1--WE cannot afford 10 lose Mrs. Bal
bach" she said. "She is a princess
with her purse in charitable works, and
some people will feel very bad over the
w9y she has been treated.
Mrs. Balbach has resigned her men,
bership in the Girls Friendly Society,
and the note she sent to Miss Grace
Peters was very emphatic.
II think that Mrs. Balbach's side
should be reported, in view of the COM
motion this misunderstanding has
caused" said a gentleman who is ac-
quainted with Mrs. Balbach. "There
was an understanding between Mrs.
Kinney and Mrs. Balbach that the sale
of seats should be private. Mrs. Bal
bach desired this because she did not
want tickets forced on people, as is
usual when charity entertainments are
given. She purchased $50 tickets at
81 80 apiece and took private box for
325. making subscription OF $3.50 to
start with. Then she was under great
expense in other ways, and | think the
opera has cost her 81 600 already.
"She sent some of her tickets to
friends, and about a week ago gentle
man friend wrote to her for tickets.
She was about to mail them to him
when she received second letter from
him stating that he would not trouble
her for the tickets, as he could secure
them at public sale. Mrs. Balbach i'm
mcdiately wrote to Mrs. Kinney for an
explanation, and at the bottom of the
letter stated that she might furnish
substitute to fill her part. Mrs. Kinney
never answered her, but sent the letter
TO Mr. Sam. Ward, the musical director
He replied to Mrs. Balbach that he
would choose tho substitute, and re-
duesting an immediate decision whether
or not she would take the part. Mrs
Ralbach did not recognize Ward in the
matter, and at once wrote to Mrs. Kin
ney that she would not sing in the
opera. She then gave up her box.